The invention relates to temporary support apparatuses, particular apparatuses used to support high-weight structures during a construction process.
Typically, large-scale construction requires the use of expensive and bulky equipment to provide temporary support for structures as they are being constructed or renovated. Overhead cranes and gantry cranes require extensive setup time and are highly limited in that they cannot be used where there is insufficient overhead clearance for positioning of the lifting apparatus. Overhead cranes and gantry cranes have the additional disadvantages of requiring substantial ground clearance or other support bases on the sides of the structure that is to be supported. These cranes are also prohibitively expensive to purchase or rent, and due to their large size, are very difficult to transport and operate.
Vehicle-mounted cranes are limited in that they require substantial clearance for positioning of the vehicle chassis adjacent to the work zone, and additional clearance for proper extension of the outriggers. Vehicle-mounted cranes are also highly limited in their lifting capacity, and are very expensive to purchase, rent, and maintain. Further, these cranes require substantially level ground for setup of the vehicle chassis, and require extensive setup time before they can be used. They also suffer from the same drawback as do overhead cranes and gantry cranes with respect to the requirement of sufficient overhead clearance.
Existing multi-stage and telescoping support apparatuses do not have high weight capacity, and are not mobile. In addition to also having a high purchase cost, these apparatuses are bulky and difficult to transport.
Accordingly, there is a need for a low cost, mobile support apparatus that can be quickly set up in the desired location and raised into position to temporarily support a high-weight structure.